My parcel of paper flowers arrived in Jamestown yesterday, which is pretty amazing considering the Post Office said it would take more than 8 weeks ( it took 13 days) Feel a lot more relaxed about the installation now, but I still need to work on the accompanying work.
I just feel brain dead though and unable to start new work. I’m gathering things as I go along that I really want to use in a collage, but it’s just not coming. The more I think about it, the more I’m starting to panic as there’s nothing there at all.
Spending far more time on the internet than my own work ( which I’m calling looking for inspiration! ) I saw publicity for the Women’s Create exhibition, which is immediately before ours at the gallery. Jean and I will just catch the end of it as we arrive and I’ve already seen a couple of works I will gravitate towards. There’s a few artists in the exhibition that i would like to work /collaborate with over there. So I’m hoping we can at least meet to chat: http://www.womencreate.org/1/post/2014/02/opening-reception-for-women-create-onmarch-1.html ( see list of 2104 artists)
Oh well… let me put this away and try again :-/
The Artists International Development fund application has now been submitted, so all we can do now is get on with our own work and hope for the best. (And not breathe of course!)
With just over seven weeks to go, its really cutting it fine, but the last deadline in November would have meant that our activities would have to end by March. I suppose I could have sent it a week ago, but I was hoping for more inspiration. Filling in a box with only 150 words when they allow 250, makes you think that you should write more. But sometimes you can summarise everything in a paragraph and to write more would be a case of repeating yourself.
I think we fit the criteria because we are an established group who have a good history of collaboration. We have confirmed connections with our US hosts, have good activity plan and have raised a considerable amount of money ourselves ( through Kick-starter and other means)
Can’t think what else to say.
Last year I made the decision to not continue with my current website : www.wendycwilliams.co.uk for which I pay an annual fee. It was a pain to maintain, wasn’t liked by many ( including the Bluecoat’s Sara Jayne Parsons) and to be honest, got a lot less hits than the free wordpress one I’d been using as a blog.
I knew it was nearing the renewal date, but was quite taken aback when I got an email from Mr Site saying that they had taken £50 from my account. WHAT? Surely they have to give warning that they are taking money – especially as there was still 30 days to go ( they did send an email about that!)
Sooo… I logged on the site’s ‘chat room’ to complain, only to be told that they ‘would have to speak to their superiors’. What a nightmare. Anyway, to cut a long story short, money has been refunded and I can finally say goodbye to that one.
I’m still making changes as the old site gets phased out, but my wordpress blog is : http://wendycwilliamsdotorg.wordpress.com/
We waste so much money as artists, doing things that we think are expected of us. I didn’t enter this year’s annual open exhibition in a local gallery as I thought that too was a waste of time and money. Another £10 saved.
No more entering Open exhibitions with a fee, or anything / anyone else that makes a profit from my hard work.
It’s funny how people see their roles in the art world. I’m thinking of this just now as I’ve seen several artists talking blogs appear on facebook recently and I know I would feel VERY uncomfortable about putting mine on there. I doubt very much that I would publicise mine that way. It seems kind of inappropriate to find it among the late night revelling or family photos. I’m not embarrassed or ashamed of it – far from it, but it’s just…well, I don’t cross streams ( to quote Ghostbusters!)
I’ve become more and more non committal because of my job I suppose. From the early morning ‘chats’ with the cleaners in work – them ‘what the $%&!*^ is this pile of $!*& ?’ me ‘no comment’ From the visitors ‘My child can do this’ – me ’no comment’.
It’s not worth it. Facebook is full of non art people, family and friends. I just want to blend into the background, not seem pretentious (as that’s how we sometimes appear to non art people) and get on with it . It’s mad really that to be taken seriously, its best to say nothing or very little (on there)
But here though, I can bore everyone stupid with no guilt…..
Another few hours on the ACE funding application today. It probably sounds like I spend all my time on it ( it certainly feels that way) but in reality, I spend a few hours on it, go away and think about it, ask someone else’s opinion ( usually Jean McEwan) re write loads of it….and go away for another think.
They are asking a lot more on this one that the last one I did though. They ask what activity we are planning… then they ask to prove it.
I’m bored with it now. I want to just give up and send it in as it is. Jean says ‘nah’ though….
